Waltey
Poglavar Croton
020 Chief Croton
Myths and Legends of Our Own Land · Charles M. SkinnerO besedilu
Poglavar Croton
- Vir
- Myths and Legends of Our Own Land
- Avtor
- Charles M. Skinner
- Jezik branja
- Slovenščina
- Jezik izvirnika
- English
- Čas branja
- 2 min branja
- Obseg
- 2 strani
- Naslov izvirnika
- 020 Chief Croton
O izvirniku
Myths and Legends of Our Own Land
Obsežna zgodovinska zbirka ameriških legend, ki jih je Skinner zbral in avtorsko rekonstruiral. Bralni jezik je Slovenščina, izvirnik pa prihaja iz vira Myths and Legends of Our Own Land v jeziku English.
Besedilo
Poglavar Croton
Med otokom Manhattoes in gorovjem Catskills so obrežja Hudsona strašile prikazni in še v devetnajstem stoletju je Hansa Andersona, ki je obdeloval kmetijo v zaledju Peekskilla, v grob spravila prikazen britanskega vohuna s svinčeno sivim obrazom, ki ga je po ukazu generala Putnama obesil. »Staremu Putu« je to nadležno bitje nedvomno prizaneslo, saj je bil že od rojstva trdnih živcev. Še posebno so prikazni pestile območje ob sotočju Crotona in Hudsona, kajti tam je bilo pokopališče Kitchawan, in ker je rdečekožce vznemirjalo topotanje belcev po njihovih grobovih, je bilo mogoče vsako noč srečati »tavajoče saheme z rta Teller's Point«, ki so hodili naokrog izražat svoj protest.
Ti Indijanci so na rtu Croton Point postavili palisado in se tam še zadnjič uprli sovražnikom s severa. Ves čas boja je stari poglavar Croton stal na obzidju, medtem ko so okoli njega deževale puščice, in skrajno mirno vodil odpor. Poraz je priznal šele, ko so bili vsi njegovi možje mrtvi in je utrdba okoli njega že gorela. Tedaj je sredi zoglenelih brun s poslednjim dihom priklical prekletstvo Velikega duha nad sovražnika. Ko so zmagovalci planili v ogrado, da bi pobrali skalpe mrtvih, se je brez življenja zgrudil v ogenj in njihov zmagoslavni krik ni več dosegel njegovih ušes. Vendar niti po smrti ni našel miru in ni prenesel misli, da bi zapustil svoj starodavni dom, zato so njegovo postavo pogosto videvali, kako zamišljeno tava med drevjem. Ko so na razvalinah njegove utrdbe postavili graščino, se je prikazal njenemu gospodarju in ga pozval, naj se pridruži kontinentalni vojski. Ko je videl, da je gospodar izpolnil njegovo zahtevo, in mu slovesno zabičal, naj za vselej ohrani svobodo dežele, je izginil in se nikoli več prikazal.
Izvirnik
020 Chief Croton
Naslednje strani prikazujejo izvirno besedilo za primerjavo.
Between the island of Manhattoes and the Catskills the Hudson shores were plagued with spooks, and even as late as the nineteenth century Hans Anderson, a man who tilled a farm back of Peekskill, was worried into his grave by the leaden-face likeness of a British spy whom he had hanged on General Putnam's orders. “Old Put” doubtless enjoyed immunity from this vexatious creature, because he was born with few nerves. A region especially afflicted was the confluence of the Croton and the Hudson, for the Kitchawan burying-ground was here, and the red people being disturbed by the tramping of white men over their graves, “the walking sachems of Teller's Point” were nightly to be met on their errands of protest.
These Indians had built a palisade on Croton Point, and here they made their last stand against their enemies from the north. Throughout the fight old chief Croton stood on the wall with arrows showering around him, and directed the resistance with the utmost calm. Not until every one of his men was dead and the fort was going up in flame about him did he confess defeat. Then standing amid the charring timbers, he used his last breath in calling down the curse of the Great Spirit against the foe. As the victorious enemy rushed into the enclosure to secure the scalps of the dead he fell lifeless into the fire, and their jubilant yell was lost upon his ears. Yet, he could not rest nor bear to leave his ancient home, even after death, and often his form, in musing attitude, was seen moving through the woods. When a manor was built on the ruins of his fort, he appeared to the master of it, to urge him into the Continental army, and having seen this behest obeyed and laid a solemn injointure to keep the freedom of the land forever, he vanished, and never appeared again.
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